How do I contact Mental Retardation Services?
Mental Retardation Services are located at 225 W. Olney Road, Norfolk, VA. and can be reached at (757) 823-1600.

The Norfolk Community Services Board's Mental Retardation Services Department focuses upon the needs of mentally retarded children and adults. Mental Retardation Services provide an array of services including:

Case Management
Mental Retardation (MR) Case Management Services assist individuals and their family members in accessing needed services that are responsive to individual needs. 

Normal operating hours are 8:30am to 5:00pm. Although a client’s case manager has primary responsibility for his/her case, the Crisis Counseling program serves as the back-up unit at times other than normal office hours. This information is provided to all clients.

     Services Provided:

     Case Managers are responsible for: 

•	identifying and reaching out to potential consumers;
•	assessing needs and planning services;
•	linking the individual to services and supports;
•	assisting the person directly to locate, develop or obtain needed services and resources;
•	coordinating services with other Community Services Boards;
•	enhancing community integration;
•	making collateral contacts;
•	monitoring service delivery;
•	advocating for people in response to their changing needs;
•	assuring service authorization of Medicaid Waiver services.

Family Support
Family Support offers assistance for families who choose to provide care at home for family members with mental retardation. Family support is a combination of financial assistance, services, and technical supports. Family is defined as the natural, adoptive, or foster care family with whom the person with mental retardation resides. The family defines the support. Family support may include but is not limited to respite care, adaptive equipment, personal care supplies and equipment, behavior management, minor home adaptation or modifications, and other extraordinary needs.

Individual Support
Individual Support provides financial or technical support to persons with mental retardation who do not live with a family member. These individuals live either alone or in a community based residential program (supported living arrangement, adult care homes, nursing homes, etc.). The individual requesting the assistance may define the support needed. Assistance that is available through individual support may include but is not limited to adaptive equipment, personal care, behavior management, limited transportation cost, and other short term supports that will promote and enhance the individuals integration into the community.

Respite Options
Respite provides temporary relief of care-giving responsibilities for a family member with mental retardation or developmentally delayed if under the age of eight years old. Respite Options provides families with some financial assistance in paying for care. The program allows families to have options in the selection of care providers. Respite may take place in the family home, a community setting (recreational activities), or the home of the provider. Services are limited to the availability of funding.

Child Day Care Grant for Special Needs Children
The Child Day Care Grant provides financial assistance to families that are employed or attending an accredited educational program with the cost of day care for their special needs child. Families that access the grant are required to meet certain income criteria. They must have a yearly income that is less than 75% of the state median income and be willing to pay 10% of the families gross monthly earned income towards the cost of the day care service. Charges for day care may include the cost of additional staff; special diet and services performed by an individual with skills needed for special procedures, room adaptation, and techniques designed to provide appropriate care in the most normalized environment. Families are allowed to select their provider as long as the provider meets the grant guidelines. The Child Day Care Grant was developed to improve the quality and the availability of before and after school services for children with special needs.

Infant Development Program
The Infant Development Program serves a unique population of children from birth to three years and their families. The program’s specific focus is to provide services that support the development of the whole child. We specialize in addressing the following events: premature and low birth weight babies, medical fragility, developmental delays, and possible at-risk situations such as exposure to drugs, teenage mothers, and mental health/mental retardation/substance abuse issues among parents. We are available to conduct comprehensive developmental assessments and develop a service plan with you which will address the specific needs of your child and family.

Mental Retardation Supported Living Services
Supported living services (SLP) are supplemental to the primary care (i.e. room and board/general supervision) provided by a parent or similar caregiver. It may also give supports to a client whose level of independence does not require a primary care provider. The usual setting will be in a private residence (home or apartment). A staff person comes to the residence to provide services, but services can be provided out in the community as well. Supported living services are provided on an individualized basis according to the plan of care and are delivered primarily with a 1:1 staff to client ratio. Currently, we offer a choice of service providers to provide supported living services to 14 mentally retarded Norfolk citizens. Case management services occur in conjuncture with supported living services.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mental Retardation  

What is Mental Retardation?
An individual is considered to have mental retardation based on the following three criteria: 
• Intellectual functioning level (IQ) is below 70-75 
• Significant limitations exist in two or more adaptive skill areas 
• The condition is present from childhood (defined as age 18 or less) AAMR, 1992 

What are the adaptive skills essential for daily functioning? 
Adaptive skill areas are those daily living skills needed to live, work and play in the community. They include communication, self-care, home living, social skills, leisure, health and safety, self-direction, functional academics (reading, writing, basic math), community use and work. 

How many people are affected by mental retardation? 
Based on the 1990 census, an estimated 6.2 to 7.5 million people have mental retardation. That is about 3% of our population, or one American out of 35. Mental retardation can occur in any family and cuts across the lines of racial, ethic, educational, social and economic backgrounds. A child with mental retardation is born every 5 minutes in the United States. 

How does mental retardation affect individuals? 
The effects of mental retardation vary considerably among people, just as the range of abilities varies considerably among people who do not have mental retardation. About 87 percent will be mildly affected and will be only a little slower than average in learning new information and skills. The remaining 13 percent of persons with mental retardation, those with IQs under 50, will have serious limitations in functioning. However, with early intervention, a functional education, and appropriate supports as an adult, all can lead satisfying lives in the community. 

Isn’t mental retardation a type of mental illness? 
While persons with mental retardation may also have mental illnesses, these conditions are separate. Mental illnesses are severe disturbances of behavior, mood, thought processes and/or social and interpersonal relationships. They can be temporary, can occur in adult and middle years, and do not necessarily interfere with strictly intellectual abilities. In contrast, mental retardation is a lifelong condition which occurs at or near birth, and which always interferes with a person’s intellectual abilities.